What is liposuction?
Liposuction is a cosmetic procedure that removes fat from different parts of your body such as belly, hips, thighs, buttocks, arms, back or face. You can’t get rid of the fat through diet or exercise. It can also be done with other surgeries including breast reduction, facelifts, and tucks. Some common problems that cause people to think of getting liposuction are:
- Double Chin
- Back of Neck
- Bottom of Upper Arms
- Female Breasts
- Outer Thighs or Saddlebags
- Bra Strap Area
- Abdomen or Belly Pooch
- Muffin Top
- Love Handles
- Male Breasts
Liposuction is not done to help individuals to lose weight. Though you lose weight after this surgery it is the side effects of body contouring.
How liposuction is different from lipomatic?
Lipomatic is the most recent fat removal method which is safer than liposuction. It is entirely physical and does not use radiation or heat. The emulsion gets discharged slowly from the body to help with body configuration. The skin looks more natural after liposuction due to three dimensional cannula movements. Lipomatic is also called tickle Lipo, since it has little or no pain. It has shorter operative time and rapid recovery. It also costs cheaper.
Different types of liposuction and their procedure
There are 6 different types of this surgery, but the result of all is the same. It is the body without many humps and bumps.
Who is a good candidate for liposuction?
You need to have realistic expectations. This surgery won’t get rid of cellulite. Thus, if you hoped it would happen, liposuction will disappoint you.
Like every other surgery, it has some risks. So, you must be in good health before getting it. Being healthy before liposuction means that:
- Have firm and elastic skin
- Not smoke
- Be within 30 percent of your ideal weight
- No blood flow
- No heart disease
- No diabetes
- Strong immune system
Another important point is that your skin should have a good tone and elasticity since it needs to snap back into your body’s new contours after liposuction. If your skin, as an example, has lost its elasticity due to multiple pregnancies, and your belly is too stretched, you cannot be a good candidate for liposuction, since your belly is too stretched and you will be left with sagging.
Who is qualified to do liposuction?
Though many people do liposuction, many of them must not do that. Plastic surgeons are trained specifically as part of their surgical education to do liposuction. Do not trust ads that aim to persuade you that many other specialists do this surgery. Remember that the surgeon being permitted to do liposuction does not guarantee his doing surgery properly.
Always ensure that you have chosen a board-certified plastic surgeon who has done a lot of liposuctions and is experienced and committed. Liposuction is a surgical procedure that requires special training and expertise. Any licensed doctor cannot be a good choice to do it. Keep in mind to consult with different surgeons before choosing one. You may ask these important questions to determine whether you can get liposuction service from him/her:
- Are you board certified?
- How much experience do you have?
- Are before and after photos available?
- What kind of results can I wait for?
- To better goals, can liposuction be combined by other plastic surgeries?
- What is the surgery and recovery time?
- How much does it cost?
- What postsurgical care is needed?
- What sort of follow up is required after this surgery?
Dr. Salahi performs hundreds of abdominal and thoracic surgeries, abdominal lipatomics, lipomatic abdominal surgery, thighs and arms, breast prosthesis and minimally invasive surgeries and is one of the top-ranked doctors in Tehran in cosmetic surgery. They specialize in cosmetic surgery.
Liposuction pros and cons
Liposuction is a type of surgery and like all surgeries has both pros and cons.
Pros
- It permanently removes stubborn fat in a larger volume that is impossible or difficult to remove with diet or exercise.
- The surgeon can control his body as doing surgery.
- The removed fat can be purified and transferred to add to other parts and give more fullness to those areas.
- After liposuction you get your fitness, your clothes fit better, you feel more confident and younger.
Cons
- It takes time to heal since it is surgery. Up to 2 weeks you will have downtime with bruising, swelling, numbness and nerve pain. Some even say that they needed 3 weeks off to recover completely.
- Liposuction could sag after the fat is removed. It happens when your skin does not have enough elasticity. If the sagging is significant, it requires another procedure so that excess skin is removed or tighten.
- Dimpling, asymmetry and some dangerous irregularities, such as infection, can happen. They happen, especially if your surgeon is not experienced enough. Scaring, disfigurement or lumpiness can be the results.
- Remaining fat cells can expand or if you gain weight, new fat cells can grow.
Liposuction recovery
Type of surgery determines how long you will stay in the hospital. You should expect some outcomes such as swelling, bruising, and soreness for around 2 weeks.
Your doctor will ask you to wear a compression garment after surgery for 1 to 2 months to control swelling.
You will probably be required to take some antibiotics to avoid infection.
Remember to ask your surgeon these questions before you leave the clinic or hospital:
• What medication should I take?
• Will I wear bandages?
• Will I have stitches?
• When will the Liposuction stitches be removed?
• When can I exercise again?
• Should I come back for a follow-up visit?
There are some tips to follow up during recovery:
Liposuction Cost
Liposuction cost depends on the type of surgery the amount of area in which fat is removed. It varies widely with an average of 2.223 dollars. Generally speaking, liposuction on the arms costs at least 1.500 dollars. Its cost for the entire abdomen or breasts starts at about 3000 dollars.
Some other factors also affect this cost including the patient’s size and doctors’ level of experience.
The cost rises for male patients more than 30 percent of ideal weight since their body fat is more fibrous.
There are also some additional costs for liposuction including:
- Laboratory tests are done before the operation
- Operation room fee if liposuction is done in a hospital
- Anesthesia fee if general anesthesia is used. It is between 500 dollars to 1000 dollars.
- A special garment that is worn after surgery which can cost between 50 dollars to 200 dollars.
- Post-surgical therapies such as massage which is prescribed by some doctors.
You may resort to low-quality liposuction services to spend the lower price. However, remember that you may need to pay more if you are not satisfied with your surgery. Repeated surgery reason may include:
- Inadequate fat removal in the target area
- Excessive fat removal which causes irregularities, dimpling, and unnatural appearance
- Asymmetry of the target area
- Post-operative complications such as excessive scarring and pigmentation